News of two more recent selections from Greater Manchester, covering the two Oldham constituencies:
Oldham East and Saddleworth - Kashif Ali
According to the local association website: "Kashif was born, brought up and he continues to live in Oldham East and Saddleworth in the Higginshaw area... He works locally as a Barrister, was a former law tutor at the University of Manchester, and also sits on the Board of a national charity providing housing and support services for adults with mental health problems and learning difficulties". He is a former Deputy Chairman of the Manchester Conservative Federation.
Labour's Phil Woolas has a notional majority in the seat of 4,245 over the Liberal Democrats, with the Conservatives starting in third place with 17.8% of the vote.
Oldham West and Royton - Kamran Ghafoor
He is a former Labour councillor in Oldham (the youngest member of the council when elected in 2004) but narrowly failed to win a council seat as a Conservative in 2008. A graduate of Salford University, he is a businessman who owns several petrol stations and a number of properties. He says he is "just as proud to be British" as he is to be a Muslim and of his ambition to be the first Muslim MP for Oldham, he adds: "I see myself being a Member of Parliament representing Oldham, but not just representing the community here but representing Muslims worldwide in government."
Michael Meacher will defend a notional majority of 10,454 over the Lib Dems, although the Conservatives are less than 100 votes behind them in third place.
Jonathan Isaby
